Vehicle-door.



J. A, HARDING. VEHICLE DOOR. APPEIOATION FILED JAN, 29, 1912.

1,043,926. Patented Nov. 12,1912.

. Witnesses i Attorney JOHN A. HARDING, OF KIRKLIN, INDIANA.

VEHICLE-DOOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 12, 1912.

Application filed January'29, 1912. Serial No. 674,118.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JOHN A. HARDING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kirklin, in the county of Clinton and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Vehicle-Door, of which the following is a specification.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved storm top for veh icles and the primary aim of the inventlon is to provide a storm top so constructed that 1n clear weather it may be so arranged so as not to exclude air from the interior of the vehicle but, on the other hand, in stormy weather, may be so arranged as to firmly close the vehicle and protect the occupants thereof from the elements.

A point of difference between the storm top of the present invention and the ordinary storm top is that the former does not embody flexible curtains which are blown about and which do not positively prevent the entrance of rain or snow into the vehicle. Furthermore, the storm top of the present 4 invention is so constructed that it does not exclude light from the vehicle when arranged to protect the occupants thereof.

In the accompanying drawings :-Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a vehicle equipped with a storm top constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of one side of the top. Fig. 3 is a similar view, the top being shown open. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on the line l4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation of a portion of the supporting means for the door of the top. Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a View in elevation of a portion of the interior of the top.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown one type of vehicle embodying the present invention and of this vehicle the body is indicated by the numeral 10, the side of the body above the seat being indicated by the numeral 11. The said side of the body is formed with a doorway 12 and it is preferable that a window 13 be provided in the side of the body rearwardly of the door- The door for closing the doorway in stormy weather, is indicated by the numeral 1 1- and is also provided with a window 15. The door is so proportioned as to fit snugly in the doorway when in closed position.

Spaced tracks 16 are arranged upon the side 11 of the vehicle body and extend in parallel relation beneath the window 13 and consequently to one side of the said doorway. These tracks are preferably mounted by bending their ends at an angle and securing them to the side of the body so that the main portions of the track will be spaced from the said body. A bar 17 is formed with spaced cars 18 of which there are two pairs, one pair being located at the upper end of the bar and the other pair at the lower end thereof. The upper one of the tracks 16 1s received between the upper pair of ears and the lower track is received between the lower pair of ears so that the bar is slidable upon the said tracks. These ears 18 constitute a part of compound hinges, of each of which hinges one leaf is indicated by the numeral 19 and is secured upon the door 14. The other leaf or member of each hinge is in the nature of a plate 20 having hinged connection with the leaf 19 and with the corresponding pair of cars 18. By connecting the door 141 with the bar 17 by means of the compound hinges shown, the door may fit snugly within the doorway when the bar 17 is in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the leaves 20, of the compound hinges, at such time, extending inwardly at an angle from the said bar. It will also be observed that the door may be moved laterally from the doorway and in fact it is intended to be so moved before being slid to open position.

A track 21 extends above the doorway and a bracket 22 is mounted upon the door at the upper corner thereof remote from the leaves 19 of the compound hinges and slides upon the track 21. The door is thus supported for sliding movement and as the track 21 extends outwardly at an angle from the side of the vehicle upon which it is mounted, the side of the door to which the hinge leaves 19 are connected, may first be swung laterally from the door opening and y the door may be bodily slid toward the right in Fig. 1 of the drawings. By referring to Fig. 3 of the drawings it will be observed that the bar 17 is adapted to pivot about the ends of the tracks 16 remote from their ends adjacent the doorway and when the bar is positioned as illustrated in Fig. 3, the door at the corresponding side will be located nearer the vehicle body than if the bar was not capable of such movement upon the track.

In order to hold the edge of the door opposite the edge at which the leaves 19 are located, firmly in place in the doorway, there is provided at the corresponding side of the doorway, a cleat 23 against which the said edge of the door seats when the door is in closed position. A lug 24 is also carried by the door at its said edge and engages with the said side of the doorway as is clearly shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings. For the purpose of holding the other side of the door firmly in place in the doorway, an ordinary coach latch 25 is provided.

What is claimed is In a device of the class described, a vehicle body having a doorway; a door for the doorway; horizontally spaced tracks secured to the body, at one side of the doorway, the ends of the tracks remote from the doorway being curved toward the body; a bar located between the tracks and the body, the bar having cars which extend transversely of the tracks; hinges, each comprising pivotally connected members, one of which members is secured to the door, the other of which members is pivotally connected with one of said ears, and is located upon the outside of a track, to form with the ear, a means for slidably connecting the bar with one track; the bar being adapted to ride on to the curved ends of the tracks to bring the door, when in open position, into abutment with the tracks.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN A. HARDING.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM WHITAKER, GLEN HARDING.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

